Biography Jan Vermeer

The documented facts about Jan Vermeer's life are few. He was born on
October 30 or 31, 1632, in Delft, Netherlands, the second of two
children to Digna Baltens and Reynier Jansz. His father was an art
dealer and silk weaver who also kept a tavern, and Vermeer probably took
over the business after his father's death in 1655. It is presumed that
his father, who was actively involved with the local artists and
collectors, was an early influence on the young child. Vermeer
supposedly began his training as an artist around the mid-1640s.